Sunday Salon, June 14th

A close up of our climbing rose, Fourth of July.

Weather: gorgeous. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country. Mt. Rainier was shining above our city this morning like a beneficent protectorate.

One day more: Last day of school is tomorrow. Need I say more?

Textbooks: Textbook collection is nearly done for another school year. But I am a bit worried about how many students still have out books. I estimate it to be around 375 students. Could be LONG lines on Monday morning. Believe me, teachers are just as excited for summer as the students.

Master's degree in Education: Our daughter earned her Master's degree in Education this week. We are so proud of her and how she has put her mind and heart to work to be a better teacher. Way to go, Rita!

US Open Golf Tournament: The US Open will be held at Chambers Bay Golf Course this coming week. Don is an official volunteer. Last night we drove past the course to take a look at all the preparations. We found a few spots to look through the fence. I think all the golfers will think they've been dropped off on the far side of the moon. The course is so different than what one sees on TV when there are big tournaments. The most obvious difference is there are no trees on the course. Here is a link to look at the golf course in 3-D if you are interested. I didn't think I was but I really found it interesting.

This is as close as we could get. We are behind another fence taking a picture through the second fence. Chambers Bay Golf Course is below. The Puget Sound beyond it.

Spectators may enter through this gate starting tomorrow for the first practice rounds and Thursday for the first day of the actual event.

Don is a volunteer for the event so he will get a much better view of the course than this shot taken into the sun.

Books read this week (I actually finished three after finishing none the week before!)

• The Same Sky by Amanda Eyre Ward---a book club selection; differences between two cultures in terms of lifestyle and finances. Women in Central America actually leave their children and come to America so they will have a little money to send home. I found it to be tremendously depressing and a difficult book to read for that reason. (Audio)
• The Game of Love and Death by Martha Brockenbrough---historical fiction/fantasy/YA; set in Seattle in the 1930s. Love and Death begin a game to see who will win and their pawns are two young adults on the brink of their lives. Look for my review later this week.
• Bone Gap by Laura Ruby---Finn has that condition which does not allow him to recognize faces so when Roza is abducted by a man with a strange walk but a nondescript face, no one believes him. If Roza is going to be rescued it will be up to Finn. Magical realism. (Audio)

Currently reading:

• SuperMutant Magic Academy by Jillian Tamaki---Tamaki and her cousin won a Printz honor last year for their graphic novel, That One Summer. This is quite a different book with each page being one day or interaction between students at the academy. Some of these interactions are profound, others funny, and some I don't understand. Graphic novel.
• The Tightrope Walkers by David Almond---a just started this coming-of-age audiobook today.
• What's So Amazing about Grace by Philip Yancey---I finished teaching the class at church last week but still had two chapters left to read in the book. I hope to finish it this week then share the book with other participants who might want to read the conclusion, too.

Next week: summer!